Carla Hargrove McGill

President

“I love the process of creating an event experience and collaborating with our exceptionally creative staff. The exchange of ideas with our clients and employees is an extremely rewarding part of our work. The dedication of our employees has been the key to our success."

Carla Hargrove McGill’s longevity with the company combined with an extensive understanding of the industry has contributed significantly to the company’s success. Carla started her career at Hargrove in her teens performing varied tasks such as answering telephones, decorating floats and working in the sign shop.

Her interest in the industry led her to travel nationally, and it was on a project for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans where she solidified her passion for the industry. This experience led her to work tirelessly over the next two decades to further the family’s business.

Carla succeeded Earl Hargrove, Jr. the company’s founder after Mr. Hargrove passed the reins of the company in March 2008 to Carla and her husband Tim, a long-time employee of Hargrove and the company’s CEO. As COO and president, Carla focuses on the overall strategic direction of the company and is actively involved with key account acquisition.

Prior to 2008, Carla last held the position of vice president, special events and led the division through an incredible growth pattern averaging as much as forty percent annual increases in revenues. She developed a new business model for the special events division which included new functions such as estimating, account and production management. Her efforts ensured the company was able to manage the growth successfully. She predicted a seismic shift in the industry and guided the sales and creative focus away from themed events toward what was then referred to as corporate theater, now known as experiential events. The result was a diversification of Hargrove’s client mix which would position the company for continued expansion.

Carla is a board member of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and The Foundation Schools and an active leadership volunteer with the Arundel Medical Center. She is also a long-term supporter and an active committee leader of the Leukemia Ball. Carla and her husband Tim reside in Annapolis, Maryland with their daughter Kelsey.